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G. B. PILKINGTON.

BUCKLE. No. 451,840. Patented May ,5, 1891.

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GEORGE E. PILKINGTON, OF NEYV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRAUT 85 HINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.,451,840,-dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed February 5, 1891. Serial No. 380,298, (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. PILKINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspender buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of frameand-lever Suspender-buckles carrying castoffs, the object being to furnish an improved buckle of that class having, besides the other novel features hereinafter set forth, a webclamping lever adapted to be locked closed by means of the cast-off.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a partof this specification, Figure 1 is a front View of an improved suspender-buckle embodying certain features of my present invention, the buckle being shown on a suspender-web. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same buckle, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional edge view in line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the suspender-web unclamped. Fig. 5 is a front View of the form of buckle-frame shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, some details being broken away the better to exhibit the preferred construction. Fig. 6 is a front view of the form of buckle-lever shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the retaining-clasp being removed. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the retaining-clasp in blank form. Fig. 8 is a front view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modified and improved form of the buckle. Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional edge views in line b b of Fig. 8, illustrative of the operation of one of the features of the invention. Fig. 11 is a front view, similar to Fig. 5, of the form of buckle-frame shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. Fig. 12 is a front view, similar to Fig. 6, of the form of buckle-lever shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

The buckle consists of a frame having an upper bar, a lower bar, parallel side bars, a ribbed plate extending between the side bars intermediate to the upper and lower bars, and a depending loop intermediate of the length of the lower bar, a web-clamping lever supported 011 the lower bar, and means for operating the lever and locking the same closed.

The frame is adapted to be made in two forms, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 11, respectively, the form shown in Fig. 5 being consid ered the simplest one, while the form shown in Fig. 11 comprises certain additional improvements. The top bar B at the right-hand and left-hand ends thereof joins the two side bars 2 and 4, respectively, which are joined at their lower ends to the side portions 3 and 5, respectively, of the lower bar, this being designated in a general way by C. Said lower bar has therein a depending loop D, composed of the loop sides 6 and 8 and the connecting lower end d. Intermediate of the length of .the side bars 2 and 4 there is fastened to said bars a ribbed plate P, whose ends are clinched over the side bars in a well-known manner (which will be understood by comparison of the several figures of drawings) for the purpose of fixedly locating the plate on the side bars. The rib 16 on said plate is at the upper edge thereof, being usually toothed, as shown, for engaging the suspender-web F. (See Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.)

In the form of buckle shown in Fig. 5 the free ends of the wire used in the construction of the frame are at the top, being joined by the clasp or tube T (shown in section in Fig. 5) to form a continuous top bar. This form of buckle-frame is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

In the improved form of buckle frame shown in Fig. 11 the wire used in the construction of the frame is joined at the lower end of the depending loop D, the top bar B being a continuous wire, as there shown, and thus requiring no clasp or connection. Said loop, when constructed as in Fig. 11, consists of the two loop sides 6 and 8, having the inwardly-turned ends 6 and 8, respectively, which carry the roll or thimble R, whose purpose is hereinafter more fully set forth.

The buckle-lever consists of the web-clamping bar, downwardly-projecting arms having bearin gs, whereby the lever is journaled on the side portions 3 and 5, respectively, of the lower bar C of the buckle-frame, and the lever-arm (comprising the sides 10 and 12) extending downward from the bar intermediate of said bearing-arms and terminating at the lower end thereof in a hook, whereby the cast-off is supported, and whereby the lever itself is locked closed by means of the castoff. The hook-provided end of the lever-arm extends below the lever-bearings to furnish the leverage necessary for operating the lever, this usually requiring the hook H to be wholly below said bearings.

The more simple form of the buckle-lever is shown in Figs. 8, 9, l0, and 12, wherein the bearing-arms 7 and 9 are straight, as indicated in Figs. 8 and 12, and are joined to the outer ends of the lever-bar E, respectively, through the short connecting lengths l1 and 13. When this form of leveris assembled with the frame, as shown in Fig.8, the frame and lever being correctly proportioned the one for the other, the lower rounded end 6 of the hook H bears forcibly against the aforesaid thimble or roller R, thereby offering a considerable resistance to the opening and closing of the buckle-lever. This action is illustrated by the corresponding sectional views, Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 10 the buckle-lever is shown closed and projecting downward a little in front of said roller. In Fig. 9 the buckle-lever is shown partially opened, the rounded lower end 6 of the hook II standing directly on top of the roller. sprung out of its normal shape, as indicated by the dotted lines o c in Fig. 8, which said dotted lines, by contrast with the corresponding solid lines, illustrate the spring action of the clamp-bar during the opening and closing. Because of that action the leof the lever. ver is also designated as the spring-lever. WVhen said spring action is not required in its fullest extent, the buckle-lever may be constructed in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 6, wherein the bearing-arms 7 and 9 are brought close together contiguous to the sides 10 and 12, respectively, of the lever-arm, the

whole being clasped by the clasp G, Figs. 1 and 2, thereby reducing the elasticity of the.

structure constituting the buckle-lever. This clasp in its blank form is shown in Fig. 7, it; having the side wings to w for clasping over; the bearing-bars (shown in Fig. 6) and the extended upper cnd 15 for clasping over the;

upper side of the Web-clamping bar E. This feature is useful in some styles of buckles,j while not necessary in other styles. By,

means of it a smaller size of wire may generally be used for making the lever.

In using the buckle the lower end of the lever-arm swings through the loop Dof the buckle-frame, as will be understood by comparison of Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive. hen the lever is closed, the hook H of the leverarm L stands forward of the loop D of the frame, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 10. hen the hook is in this position, a suitable castoifas, for instance, the ordinary cast-off In this latter position the lever is ring 14-may be put in place on the hook forward of said loop, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby locking the leverclosed. When the cast-oft ring is removed, as in Fig. 3, the lever is then free to be swung on its journal, as indicated in Fig. 4, to release the suspenderweb F. The clamp-bar E of the lever stands just below the toothed rib 16 of the frameplate P and operates when the lever is closed to make a short bend at 17 in the web F ust below said rib, as illustratedin Fig. 3. When the lever is opened, as in Fig. 4, the web F naturally assumes a larger curvature, and then may be passed up or down through the buckle in the ordinary manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a buckle of the class specified, the combination, with a buckle-lever, substantially as described, of the improved buckleframe consisting of the top bar, the side bars, the back plate supported on the side bars, and the lower bar, said lower bar having therein the dependingloop carrying the thimble on the inwardly-turned ends of the loop sides, substantially as described.

2. In a buckle of the class specified, the combination, with a buckle-frame having a back plate, substantially as described, of the improved spring-lever consisting of the clamp-bar E, the bearing-arms connected, substantially as described, to the outer ends of said bar, and the hook-provided lever-arm extending from the bar intermediate of the bearing-arms and reaching below said arms, substantially as described.

3. In a buckle of the class specified, the combination, with a buckle-frame, substantially as described, of the improved bucklelever consisting of the clamp-bar E, the contiguous lever-arms 10 and 12, having a-hool; at the lower ends thereof, the bearing-arms 7 and 9, lying contiguous to said lever-arms, and the clasp inclosing said lever-arms and bearing-arms, substantially as described.

4. In a buckle, the combination, with a buckle-frame having'the lower bar and having the depending loop and the thimble at the lower end of said loop, of the buckle-lever journaled on the lower bar and having the hook provided lever arm swinging through the loop, the lower end of the hook being rounded and engaging the thimble on the swinging movement of the lever and the lever being a spring acting to hold the hook in engagement with said thimble, substantially as described.

GEORGE E. PILKINGTON.

W'itnesses:

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, HENRY L. REOKARD. 

